Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan has been named to the Oak Ridge Associated Universities board of directors.

Jordan will begin serving on the board of directors in June, providing leadership to ORAU, a 152-member university consortium that provides innovative scientific and technical solutions to advance national priorities in science, education, security and health. MSU is a longstanding member of ORAU, and Jordan currently serves as the university’s member councilor for the organization.

“In my time as an ORAU Councilor, I have seen ORAU play a valuable role for members by identifying synergies and otherwise unseen possibilities for partner institutions,” Jordan said. “I’m excited to help drive that collaboration and innovation as a member of ORAU’s board of directors. I also look forward to seeing ORAU’s impactful K-12 outreach continue to grow and help prepare the next generation to solve some of our most pressing challenges.”

Jordan has led MSU’s research enterprise since 2019, first serving as interim vice president for research and economic development before being named to the role permanently. Under her leadership, the Office of Research and Economic Development has worked to grow external funding, provide additional tools for MSU researchers, support student research opportunities and enhance the university’s reach at the local, state, national and international levels. Working closely with state and local economic development leaders, she has enhanced the university’s role in creating research and innovation-driven economic growth in Mississippi.

Prior to her vice president role, Jordan served as associate vice president for international programs and executive director of the MSU International Institute from 2017-2019. She led MSU’s Research and Curriculum Unit for seven years. Jordan is a two-time graduate of MSU, earning a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in education technology. She also earned a Ph.D. in international development from the University of Southern Mississippi.

During ORAU’s Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions earlier this month, the organizations announced two new board members and six new member institutions.

“We’re honored to have these distinguished individuals and institutions help us continue in our mission to advance national priorities and serve the public interest by integrating academic, government and scientific resources globally. Together we will build upon the momentum our team has created to strategically position ORAU for the future,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page.

For more on ORAU, visit orau.org.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.